


We Were Wild Dogs

by aries_antagonist



Series: Naruto AU Week 2021 Collection! [5]
Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Corny Naruto, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Naruto AU Week 2021, Outlaw Gaara, Outlaw Uzumaki Naruto, Village Hidden in the Brokeback Mountain, just so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:34:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29352051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aries_antagonist/pseuds/aries_antagonist
Summary: Three times Gaara called out for Naruto, and three times Naruto answered.Written for Day 5 of Naruto AU Week 2021! Prompt: Cowboy/WesternGaara’s POV/Scenes from their life/Fluff/Complete!
Relationships: Gaara/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: Naruto AU Week 2021 Collection! [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155266
Kudos: 19
Collections: Naruto AU Week 2021





	We Were Wild Dogs

**Author's Note:**

> I ship Naruto with anyone who will make him happy. (Though, my heart is forever tied in some way to Sasuke x Naruto as I HC them, not as they are in canon) 
> 
> But writing this made my own heart swell. I love this universe for them so very much. I worked on a horse farm in my own childhood to pay for my own babysitting, (LOL) so this world is mildly comfortable for me to just dive into. But ofc, don’t @ me about historical accuracy. I don’t care. I just want my babies to be happy. So, here’s something short and sweet for them.
> 
> Enjoy, and thanks for reading!  
> Kudos and comments are always well received. Love y’all!

Gaara pulled back on the reins at the top of the grassy hill, the wind pushing through the dry valley with a whistle. He resisted the urge to put his head in his hand as he watched his boyfriend refuse to use that one brain cell the universe gave him, yet again. 

“Naruto!” he called, letting his voice drift down to the lakeshore. 

The summer blonde had already removed his boots and riding pants, and called back from his prone position on the surface, his cotton shirt soaking up the lake water. 

“Hey! Gaara! You look so beautiful with the sun behind you!” Naruto replied, swishing his hands through the water behind him. 

Gaara shook his head, biting at his lip to stop it from pulling into the small smile it wanted to. “Didya think to check for leeches?”

“Oh shit!” was what he was certain the blonde yelped, but who could be sure? His panicked splashing to get out of the water sent Gaara into a silent fit of laughter. When he finally lifted his hands, still holding the reins, to wipe the tears from his eyes he saw Naruto sprinting up the hill. He was half-naked, bug-eyed and shouting. 

Gaara was hopelessly in love.

* * *

He ducked lower, levering his chest against the pinto’s mane. His legs were clamped in a vice-grip around the horses sides, but his prayer was not helping him hang on. With the shimmering sun high overhead, he was sweating too much to stay atop the galloping stolen horse. He was slipping. 

From behind him, he could hear the gnashing of teeth and wild screams of their pursuers and their hounds growing louder. His flaming hair whipped the sides of his face as they raced towards the edge of town, dust kicked up from their heels. 

“Naruto!” he called, certain that his voice would be caught by the wind. They’d split ways in the center of town to divert their opponents, and he sent a wish to whomever might be looking down upon them that the blonde man would make it out. Even if he himself was surely doomed.

He dug his heel into the horses side, urging him to go at an impossible speed down the main strip and gripped into the wild mane until his knuckles felt like they were ready to burst through the skin. From his sides, he could feel the gaze of curious townsfolk stepping onto their porches to watch the commotion. 

“Hyah!” his nearest pursuer shouted, his own ink-black horse speeding faster. He didn’t need to look to know that the Akatsuki cloud was proudly emblazoned on the man’s jacket. If he did see it, it would be too late.

His body was calm, his heart rate as if he were sleeping, as he finally slipped from the horses back. He’d done his best. He felt at peace, knowing they’d freed the others from that cramped jail cell. He could only hope that Narut-

“Gaara!” a familiar voice shouted into his ear as he felt a strong grip make purchase on the back of his denim pants. He was swung into the air, landing with a heavy thud against...the wagon.

He quickly sat up, and met those piercing blue eyes as Naruto hit him with a blinding smile. 

“Damn, Gaara, ya scared me for a minute there! Gotta hold onto the horse, silly,” Naruto laughed before pulling his right wrist towards his chest, turning the horses around the corner and out through the wrought iron gate at the town’s northern entrance. 

Gaara climbed forward, and leapt from the back of the wagon to the driver’s carriage. He turned a glance backwards at the cloud of dust they left behind, only to find that their pursuers had halted at the town limits. 

His hand moved to rest on his lover’s thigh as they rode off into the midday sun.

* * *

The fire roared to life in the middle of the camp, and the night was lively. They’d joined up with a gregarious band of travellers that Naruto had befriended when they’d snuck through the last town for supplies. One of the travellers sat by the flames, his grey hair golden in the light, tuning his stringed instrument. Gaara wasn’t familiar with any of the names, but he liked the sounds. It wasn’t often they got to hear music.

The man plucked a cheerful tune and he watched as some of the others danced around the hungry flames. Gaara started slightly when he felt the weight of a wool blanket settled over his shoulders. Tilting his head back, he looked up at a rare calm Naruto. 

Gaara lifted his right arm, creating a woolen bat wing and gesturing Naruto under the blanket beside him in the tall grass. It was a clear sky tonight, no moon, just thousands of pinprick stars against the dark. The sound of a coyote beckoned in the distance, and Gaara sent a wish that it would find something nice to eat for itself in the night. After all, they shouldn’t be the only ones enjoying an evening off from the harsh world. 

Naruto snuggled in under the blanket, offering his tin cup of whatever liquor the travellers had presented them with to Gaara.

He shook his head with a smile, “None for me this eve’, someone’s gotta make sure no one falls in the fire.”

Naruto chuckled, tilting the mug onto his lips. “Baby you’re a fire, and I’ve already fallen-“ 

Gaara fought back a laugh at his blonde. He shoved his shoulder into him to stop the corny line from getting finished.

But Naruto was clearly in a mood. “What? You embarrassed of lil’ old me, ‘Ra?” Blonde eyebrows raised, wrinkling his sun-kissed forehead under the wide-brim buckskin hat. 

“N-no don’t do-“

It was too late, the blonde was up and running to the top of the hill. The man playing the stringed instrument paused his plucking for a moment as they all watched the man sprint to the top. Gaara was up in an instant, chasing after him. Naruto’s laugh twinkled across the plains.

“Naruto!” he called, knowing it was futile.

Gaara put more force into his run as he watched his lover cup his hands over his mouth. 

“I LOVE GAARA OF THE S-“

Gaara pounced on him to cut him off, tackling them both into the grass. He could hear fits of laughter from the party below as the music ticked back to life. 

He rolled over so he sat atop of the lean muscled blonde. He’d knocked Naruto’s hat off in the dive and his long electrified hair glittered in the starlight. He felt the flush rise from his neck to his cheeks, and yet, he still couldn’t suppress the smile that Naruto always managed to summon.

Naruto’s rough, calloused, perfect hand came up to cup the back of his neck, pulling him down slowly. Gaara tilted his face to slot in it’s perfect fit against Naruto’s parted lips.

If someone had rode by at that moment, they’d have seen two fires. 

One, with a merry group of travellers careening around it, sloshing their drinks and twirling their skirts. 

The other, atop a grassy hill, where flaming red hair intertwined with sparked yellow. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Did you catch the tiny Kakashi cameo?
> 
> Until tomorrow!  
> Feel free, as always, to come hang out with me on [ Tumblr! ](https://www.ariesantagonist.tumblr.com)


End file.
